head consort, whom I shall call queen, that a ship was arrived, and that
one of the white men was coming to see her. At my arrival, a mat was
ready placed for me to sit down on; no sooner was I seated, than I heard
the queen ask for some of the white men to be interpreters between us,
and one ran that moment to fetch them. I soon convinced her, however,
that I wanted no assistants, and delivered my message, as ambassador
from the captain, saying, “I was afraid no trade could be carried on, as
the king was absent.” She said, “she expected him in a fortnight, and as
there was a great number of slaves to be sold, she desired me to prevail
on the captain to stay till his return.” By this time, came in two white
men abreast, making a formidable and hostile figure; upon which I cocked
my gun, laid the other by me, and planted myself directly before them.
One was John Pro, a Dutchman, who spoke good English; he was dressed in
a short coat with broad plate-buttons, and other things answerable, but
without either shoes or stockings. In his sash, he had stuck a brace of
pistols, and held one in his hand. The other was in an English dress,
and had two pistols in his sash, and one in his hand, like his
companion; they spoke to me in English, with the usual compliment, which
I returned; but Nick looked me wishfully in the face, and after a short
pause, took hold of my hand, saying, “Robert Drury, how have you done
these many years? My name is Nicholas Dove,” said he, “I am one of the
four boys who were saved with you when our ship’s company were massacred
in Anterndroea; and the very same of whom no tidings could be given in
the conference between deaan Crindo and king Samuel.” Upon this, I went
home with them after I had finished with the queen, in order to know
whether captain Macket would think proper to stay so long or not. John
Pro assured me it would certainly be well worth his while; that there
were a great number of slaves whom they wanted to dispose of; that the
king, deaan Toke-offu, was a very honest fair-dealing man, as well as a
great prince, and would return in a short time, though not so soon, he
feared, as the queen said. They were gone to encounter with a king to
the northward, and about five or six thousand of them went all the way
up the river in canoes, that were large enough to contain about thirty
men a piece, with their proper accommodations in them, to make fires and
dress victuals, and such as I had never seen any where else. I wrote a
letter to the captain the next morning, and sent it by the fisherman, in
which I gave him a full and particular account of what had passed. In
his answer, he desired me to send some men to carry him up to the town
on their shoulders, in a hammock affixed to two poles.
John Pro lived in a very decent manner, and his house was furnished with
pewter dishes, a standing-bed with curtains, and all other things of the
like nature, except chairs; a chest or two, however, served for that use
well enough. He had an outhouse on purpose for his cook-room, and
cook-slave’s lodging, storehouse, and summer house; all these were
enclosed in a palisade, as most of the great men’s houses are in this
country; for he was rich, had many cattle, and several slaves. Nicholas
Dove, indeed, was not near so rich. In the evening came captain Burgess
and Zachary: I soon understood that these were the sloop’s crew, to
which Arnold and Eglasse the Dutchman belonged; and, therefore, gave
them the best account I could of their fortune in Feraignher.
Nicholas Dove, however, told me more than I knew before, viz.—That he
ran away and got to Port Dauphine; that after the expiration of two
years, he got to Mattatanna Road, in a large canoe, and there entered
himself on board a pirate, that cruised principally among the Moors,
from whom they frequently took great riches, and carried them to St.
Mary’s. This place having a good harbour, they made it their settlement
and general rendezvous. It is a small island, but three leagues from
Madagascar, in the latitude of 16 deg. 33 min. south; but as their ship
grew old and crazy, and none of the Moorish ships, which they had taken,
were fit for their business, they being also vastly rich, they removed
to Madagascar, made one Thomas Collins, a carpenter, their governor, and
built a small fort, which they defended with their ship’s guns; but here
they led most licentious and profligate lives, stealing whatever they
could come at, and ravishing the wives and daughters of the natives:
living by this means for some time in a state of perpetual war. Upon
this, I could not forbear reflecting that deaan Mernaugha was not so
much to be blamed in ordering Eglasse to be killed for threatening him;
since he had, doubtless, a competent knowledge by some means or another,
to what a crew of vile abandoned wretches he once belonged. Nicholas
Dove said, they had not gone out a pirating for nine years successively,
contenting themselves with building a sloop by this governor’s
assistance, and soon after left him and others, and settled here, where
they had continued ever since. By him I understood that Mr Bembo got
safe to England; but captain Drummond was killed before he could get off
the island, though the particular manner and occasion, he could not
inform me; but they told me one remarkable piece of news, namely,—that
this captain Drummond was the very man, for whose murder, and his crews,
one captain Green, commander of an East India ship, was hanged in
Scotland; whether it be truth or not, I cannot determine. All I know of
the case I have already related, and can only observe, that the time,
the name, and the circumstances of his being here, where no news of him
could be had for several years, give just grounds for the supposition.
But to return to my history.
The queen sent me a calf for a present, and I in return, gave her a few
knives and beads; I went to the shore with John Pro, to welcome the
captain to the town. His surgeon, one Mr Strahan, was with him. The
queen entertained them as elegantly as she could, and mutual presents
passed in form.
We returned that evening to the ship, and built a house the next day for
the more commodious carrying on of trade. The natives perceiving we were
determined to stay, they built several others near it, to accommodate us
with rice, milk, fruits, and other necessaries. I went frequently up to
the town to hear what news I could, but it was a month or more before
the people came back from the wars; they came down the river in canoes,
as they went up, and met with great success. At length the king arrived
with the corpse of his brother, who was killed in the fight. He deferred
his burial for nearly a fortnight, till he had settled all his affairs
with us, and had given audience likewise to his brother’s ambassadors,
who were waiting for him.
As soon as captain Macket heard of his return, he came up to town again
with a large retinue, and his trumpeter sounding before him. They went
to J. Pro’s house whilst I attended on the king, with whom I had some
very familiar conversation, as he had often heard of me; in the
conclusion whereof, he told me that he desired the captain’s patience
till he had sent for his people about him, and put himself in due order
to receive him, which, in about two hours’ time, he did; and then all we
white men, as well captain Burgess, and the rest, as those who came with
us, marched two abreast, the trumpeter sounding before the captain,
having a crowd of black mob after us; the shells blowing, and the drums
beating at the same time in the king’s palisade by way of compliment. As
deaan Toke-offu well knew how to treat white men, he had ordered two
stools for the captain and surgeon to sit upon. After the mutual
compliments were reciprocally passed, I being their interpreter, the
manner of trade was soon settled and adjusted; and then the captain made
a present to the king of a gun or two, &c., and the king presented him
with a slave, &c. He gave me likewise a girl of twelve years old, whom I
sold immediately to John Pro. The captain had thoughts of taking his
leave this afternoon, but the king prevailed on him to stay till the
next day, in order to make his court look the more grand when he
received the ambassadors.
Accordingly, the next day, we were seated in order, when the ambassadors
came with a numerous retinue, making just such an entry as Rer Vove did
before his grandfather, when he returned from the wars. Some capering as
they advanced, and firing their guns, and then retreating; others
advancing in their places and doing the same. When the principal
ambassador approached, he kneeled upon one knee, and licked the king’s
knee, saying—
“Tyhew an deaan Unghorra en Zaftana Lohefute.”
That is,—
“The Supreme God bless the progeny of deaan Lohefute.”
Others came after him, repeating the same words. This done, business was
now no more talked of, but the remainder of the day was spent in
compliments and drinking of toake; but our captain took his leave, and
made all the haste he could to despatch the affairs of trade. The next
day they sent down several slaves to sell, and captain Macket fitted up
Burgess’s sloop, and sent her to fetch the ketch from Yong-Owl; during
which time, the Henry, captain Harvey, commander, arrived; a ship of
five hundred tons’ burthen. While we continued here, deaan Toke-offu’s
brother was buried, and all the natives shaved off their hair, which is
the usual manner of their public mourning all over the island; and he
who does not comply with this, is looked upon as disaffected to the
government. When a private person dies, the friends and relations only
do it.
It was about the middle of October when we arrived here, and the 24th of
November before the king returned; but by the beginning of January, we
had purchased more than our cargo of slaves, so we left part of them
with the Henry, which remained after us. We sailed from the river
Munnonbaugher in Munnongaro, or Masseleege, and arrived at Yong-Owl,
where captain White was trading, not having then got his complement of
slaves. On the 20th of January we departed from thence, and bid adieu to
the island of Madagascar.
We did not touch at the Cape of Good Hope, but at St Helena, where I
went ashore, and took all the care I could of the slaves who were sick.
From thence we went to Barbadoes, where we stayed a week, then weighed,
and sailed to Jamaica, where we delivered our cargo. The captain was not
only tender of me whilst on board, but supplied me with money likewise
at every port we came to, though by the little knowledge I had of its
use, I committed several mistakes, which were subjects of laughter and
merriment. As to liquors, I could scarce relish any, since I had lost
toake, to which I had been so long accustomed. I was taken sick here,
which proved very chargeable; but the captain sent me ashore, where, by
his kind orders, I wanted for nothing. Whilst we were here, the Mercury,
captain White from Madagascar arrived, but we were ready to sail with
the fleet, under convoy of the Winchelsea, which was a forty-gun ship.
On the 5th of July, we departed from Jamaica, beating through the
windward passage. Under the Crooked Islands we saw two sloops, which the
Winchelsea endeavoured to speak with, and imagining them to be pirates,
struck his pendant, in order to look like a merchant ship, which
deceived them so far, that the largest sloop gave chase, and hoisted a
black ensign and jack; but finding her mistake, thought proper to alter
her course, and stand in for the land again. Though the man-of-war could
not follow her, yet our captain, whose ship was a good sailer, and
mounted sixteen guns, did, and exchanged several broadsides with her. He
stood close under the land, and as night came on, got away from us, but
had the assurance to rob two of the stern-most ships in the fleet.
Moreover, they threatened to tie captain Macket to the main-mast of his
ship, and burn him, if ever they met with him again.
Not long after this we had the misfortune to run foul of the Winchelsea,
which, tacking about unexpectedly, staved our bow to the water’s edge,
and carried our foremast quite away; the man-of-war lost his head and
sprit-sail-yard. We must all have been inevitably lost had the sea run
high, but by good providence it was fair weather; so by the assistance
of the Winchelsea’s crew and some others, we kept the water out, but
were forced to go back to the Crooked Islands, and they accompanied us,
where by the help of them, and some other ships, our breach being made
up, we proceeded on our voyage; and on Saturday, September 9, 1717,
arrived in the Downs, after I had been absent from my native country
sixteen years and about nine months. Here, by the captain’s direction, I
went ashore, he having first supplied me with what was necessary for my
journey to London; yet did I not set forward till I had returned God
thanks in the most solemn manner for my safe arrival, and for my
deliverance from the many dangers I had escaped, and from the miseries I
had so long undergone.
It may not be improper in this place to inform my readers by what a
wonderful providence my father came to hear of my being alive in
Madagascar. My brother was one day at the Crown alehouse, at
Cherrygarden-stairs, in Rotherhithe, where William Thornbury was in the
next box; and hearing him talk of that island to his friend, he said, he
had a brother cast away there several years before, and should be glad
to hear some tidings of him. Thornbury replied, he had never seen but
one white man upon the island, and his name he had forgotten. My brother
thereupon mentioned several names, and at last Robert Drury, which
Thornbury no sooner heard, but said, that was it, and that his father
lived at the King’s-head, in the Old Jewry.
When I came to London, (it being Sunday about three o’clock in the
afternoon,) I thought it improper to go in sermon-time to the
King’s-head, in the Old Jewry, the house in which my father lived before
he retired into the country, but went to the Bell alehouse, (then the
British coffeehouse,) at the lower end, and desired to be admitted;
assuring the master I was but just come on shore. He seeing me in a sea
jacket, and hearing me speak in broken English, took me for a foreigner,
and let me in; asking me what countryman I was, and from whence I came?
I told him an Englishman, which at first he would scarcely believe, till
he recollected me by the questions I asked; namely, who kept the
King’s-head? Whether John Drury did not keep it some years ago? He told
me, that John Drury went to live in the country, and left it to his
brother William, who died some time since; and that his widow kept the
house. “How!” said I, “is William Drury dead?” “Yes,” answered he, “and
John Drury his brother too died about a year ago.” This news so dejected
me, that I burst out into tears, and afterwards bemoaned my hard fate
before him; by this he perceived who I was, having heard of my being
abroad, and of my friends expecting me soon in England. Hereupon he
asked me, if my name was not Drury? I answered, it was, and that I had
been unfortunate for many years; I was like to continue so, since my
father was dead. As an addition to my sorrow, he told me, moreover, that
my mother died with grief not long after she heard of our shipwreck, and
that my father had married again. After sermon I went to the
King’s-head, where they soon discovered who I was, and were overjoyed to
see me; and there I had a full account of our whole family affairs. I
found my father had left me two hundred pounds, and also the reversion
of a house at Stoke Newington, then in the occupation of Mr Richard
Beardsley. I stayed in town till I had visited all the friends I could
remember, and then went to Loughborough to see my sister, and other
relations, where I met with a very friendly reception, after they
imagined I had been lost so many years before.
As soon as I had settled my affairs there, I returned to London. Captain
Macket continued still as kind to me as ever, and said he would take
care of me if things did not answer my expectations. He asked me to go
with him again to Madagascar, but I had then agreed to live with a
relation in the capacity of clerk, or bookkeeper. After captain Macket
was gone, and things did not answer as I expected, I agreed with captain
White, captain Macket’s friend, who was bound for Madagascar likewise,
to go the voyage with him, and assist him in the trade, which my
knowledge of the language and customs of the country had sufficiently
qualified me for. So having left all my effects in a friend’s hands
(except what I thought proper to take with me) I went on board the
Mercury, and we sailed from the Downs, September 13, 1718.
AFTER-VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR.
When I was but a boy, I had learned the art of navigation in some
measure by going to India, though I had lost it again for want of
practice; yet, applying myself to a proper mathematician for farther
instruction, I soon recovered enough to enable me to keep a journal, and
give such an account of this voyage as may be useful to those who have
no knowledge of the island.
On the first of April, 1719, we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, where
we bought such provisions as we wanted, and on the tenth set sail for
Natal; on the twenty-ninth we saw the land, in the latitude of 29 deg.
20 min. south, to the northward of Natal, about eleven leagues off. We
sailed a west-south-west course along the shore, with a gentle breeze;
at noon the point of Natal bore south-west by west, about two leagues
distant; at two in the afternoon we came to an anchor in fourteen
fathoms’ water, within two miles of the point of Natal, it bearing
west-south-west. The current sets south-south-west and north-north-east.
Here we traded for slaves, with large brass rings, or rather collars,
and several other commodities. In a fortnight’s time we purchased
seventy-four boys and girls. These are better slaves for working than
those of Madagascar, being not only blacker, but stronger.
Captain White put six natives of Dillagoe on shore here, whom he took
with him the former voyage. They had two or three king’s dominions to
pass through before they came to their own country, and were under some
apprehensions of being intercepted. The captain, therefore, furnished
them with guns, ammunition, hatchets, and brass collars. Here I saw
several humped cattle, like those in Madagascar; but the natives have
short woolly hair, like Guinea negroes, and not like the people of
Madagascar.
On the seventh day of June, we made the land on the east side of
Madagascar. I went up to the mast-head, where, discerning high land to
the southward, I took it for granted that we were to the northward of
Port Dauphine; the captain, however, not relying on what I asserted,
hoisted out the boat, and sent me and the second mate in her towards the
shore to speak with any of the natives we could see. We rowed along the
shore a considerable time, till I discovered a small town, and some of
the inhabitants looking at us; but the sea broke so much three or four
hundred yards off the shore, that we dare not venture to put the boat
in; hereupon I pulled off my clothes and swam. Two of the natives
observing me, swam to my assistance, and walked with me afterwards to a
point about a mile farther, where they go off with their canoes. Here
the boat got in, and I persuaded one of the fishermen to accompany us.
This place is called Murnumbo, about ten leagues to the northward of
Port Dauphine. Here was a strong current and large swell against us. The
next day about sunset, we anchored in fourteen fathoms’ water, being
unable to get into the bay. The ruins of the fort bore west-south-west
of us, Cape Ramus south-west by south, and the point of the Seven
Virgins, or Seven Hammocks, east. The next morning we weighed, stood
into the bay, and anchored in three fathoms’ water; the French fort bore
south-east by east, the ruins of the church south-south-east; we were
within a cable’s length of the shore, on either side almost landlocked.
However, as there is sometimes a strong north-east wind, it is always
best to keep a good anchor and cable without.
Port Dauphine is in the latitude of 24 deg. 50 min. south. The bay into
which you must sail, is on the east side of the point. You must take
care of a rock on your starboard side. Your course to steer is
west-north-west. When you are in you will see the ruins of a fort on a
hill, called “the nose of the port;” you must keep close to this point
till you open the bay, and when the fort bears south-east by east, or
east-south-east, you may come to an anchor; and, if you will, may moor
your ship to the rocks. About two miles to the southward there is a
false bay, which may deceive strangers; therefore, as it is a rocky
place, great care must be taken.
I went directly on shore to the king’s brother’s town, and acquainted
him, that we were come to trade, but were in haste to be gone; and,
therefore, if they had any slaves to sell, he must despatch them down
forthwith. And this pretence must always be made, for they have no
notion of the expense that attends a long delay. Messengers were
immediately sent to the king, who sent word by an Irishman, (who had
deserted from one captain Ware,) that he would be with us the next day,
and came accordingly. This prince’s name was deaan Morroughsevea, he was
dressed in a coat and breeches, and had a hat on his head. The first day
was spent in the usual compliments, and making mutual presents. The
price was adjusted the next day; whereupon we built a factory, and
palisaded it round. The king soon returned, though we stayed here till
the nineteenth of July. At which time the captain sending me with some
presents to the king, I stripped off my clothes, and dressed myself like
a native, with a lance in my hand. I think it was not less than twenty
miles. The king was just going to dinner with salt fish, rice, and roast
beef, when I got there. He very courteously desired me to sit down and
partake of what he had before him; saying, all white men, except the
French, were very welcome; for they had killed his grandfather, and
carried an uncle of his away captive. After dinner he entertained me
with some toake, and a dram of brandy, and then dismissed me with some
presents to the captain, desiring we would return as soon as
conveniently we could, for he was going to war with Unter Morrow Cherock
to the northward, and hoped soon to have more slaves for us.
On the twentieth I came on board, and then we weighed, leaving four men
and the natal slaves behind us. Here we purchased one hundred and
thirty, and sailed with them to the Mattatanna Road; and on the
twenty-sixth we made the Thumb-cap off Mattatanna, and came to an anchor
within a league distance. Here is no going on shore in our boats, by
reason of the great bar that is there, and the sea always breaking upon
it; the canoes, however, came off to us, and I went on shore with them;
and after that to the king’s town, which was a great way up the river.
One ran before to inform him that the captain’s ambassador was coming:
whereupon he put himself in great order, and appeared in state. He
speaks English and French very well, and so do several of his family. He
told me I was welcome. But as captain Macket had been before us, and
bought three hundred and thirty slaves in less than twenty days, he
endeavoured to raise the price upon us. I soon informed him, however,
that I knew the country; and that if he had none to dispose of, I could
tell where to go to market. At last we agreed, and I sent the captain
word of what I had done. It was so dangerous going over the breakers,
that I did not care how seldom I went. I did not like the place, for
they were so harassed with a neighbouring enemy, that they were always
on their guard, and could not sleep in safety, nor get even common
necessaries; the country being in much the same state and condition as
was Feraignher when I lived there. The captain, notwithstanding this,
was obstinate; and after he had sent me a cargo on shore, as also a man
to assist me, sailed away to Don Mascareen, an island then belonging to
the French, and about one hundred leagues to the eastward.
As soon as he was gone, I removed my factory to the king’s town, as
thinking it more safe. I often lent the natives guns and ammunition to
repel their enemies, and once I went with them. I bought fourteen slaves
in three days, but finding provision dear, I went more artfully to work;
I agreed for the slaves they offered to sale, and left something as
earnest in their hands, but would not complete the bargain. Here I had a
scurvy trick put upon me, which I relate, that others may beware of the
like impositions. One night, notwithstanding all my care, I missed two
women slaves, who were fastened by the arms together. I complained
thereof to the king, who, pretending to know nothing of it, ordered
inquiry to be made after them, but to no purpose, till I published a
reward of six pounds of gunpowder to him who would restore them. The man
who sold them to me brought them again, pretending he had found the
place where they had concealed themselves, and demanded the reward. I
charged him with imposing on me, but not being then able to make good my
assertion, he complained to the king, who threatened me hard in case I
did not give the man the reward. I returned his menaces in warm terms,
offering to defend myself with my fire-arms, as I had six ready loaded
by me. What with tears and flatteries, the women confessed before the
next morning, that their first master had injured me, and misused them
after he had them again. I went to the king’s brother directly, and
assured him I would take care that no white men should ever trade there
for the future; but in the end, he desired I would speak with the king
first, which I did. He reconciled us before our ship returned, which was
in the middle of September, and then without captain White, who had been
dead and buried some time before at Don Mascareen. He went there to sell
slaves to the French, and buy up others for the West India cargo, but
there happened to be no call for any.
Captain Christal, who was then commander, sent one of his officers to
assure me I might depend on the same civility and friendship as I had
received from his predecessor, for he approved my conduct, and completed
the bargains I had begun, and brought my slaves on board.